Egg transfer and testing device.



W. A; LANDIS & L. A. COSTA.

I EGG TRANSFER AND TESTING DEVICE.

' APPLICATION FILED APR. 4, 1910.

Patented De0. 13,1910.

i g a? $2 a .Z Z 4 Z% if wf sseg I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM A. LANDIS AND LOUIS A. COSTA, OF (St LEN ELLEN, CALIFORNIA.

EGG TRANSFER AND TESTING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 13, 1910.

Application filed April 4, 1910. Serial No. 553,214.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatwe, TILLIAH A.- Lannie and Louis A.-Ces'r.x. citizens of the United States, residing at Glen Ellen, in the county of Sonoma and State of California, ha veinvented new and useful Improvements in Egg Transfer and Testing Devices, of which thes following is a specification.

()ur invention relates to a device for convenient-1y and rapidly testing eggs and transferring them from the cases to the testing apparatus, and re-transferring them back to the cases after testing has been completed.

7 It also comprises the combination of parts and details of construction, which will be more fully explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective View of our apparatus. Fig. 2 is a view of an'egg'case, and means for removing the tray. Fig. 3 shows the manner .of transferring the eggs to the testing tray.

Eggs are usually sent to market incases in which nests of removable trays containing the eggs in separate compartments are placed, and my invention is designed to transfer these eggs from the compartments in such quantities'as may be therein contained, to the testing machine wherein they are rapidly tested, and by the same means are returned again to the transporting trays a nd. eases.

()ur testing apparatus consists of a double coned chamber, composed of two parts A and B, which converge upwardly and downwardly respectively. This apparatus may be conveniently held upon supporting legs, as shown at C, and theupper part is adapted to fit over the lower portion and be readily removed therefrom, the point of junction being preferably where the larger diameters, of the parts A-and B meet. \Ve have shown these parts as'rectangular in form. Atthe upper endof the part Ais an eye-piece 2 conveniently constructed so that. the face of the operator will fit against the edges of the eye-piece, and light be shut out, the eyes dieing in line to look dowiiwardlythrough the apparatus. The lower end of the lower. .5

part B is open, and may be suiliciently lighted in any suitable manner. An 1ncandescent electric light, as at 3, is a very convenient method of lighting, and will throw a sufficiently intense light to the-in-- tenor of the testing chamber. T a is a tray having low vertncal sidesand front, and the bottom of which has perforations made init as shown at l, toliold any suitable or desired number of eggs, as three dozen, which is the usual number contained in V the trays of egg-transporting cases.

Ihese holes allow the light from below to pass through, and when e gs are placed in he holes, the light transmitted through the eggs will indicate to the observerwhether the\ eggs are in good condition or not. An opeihrig may be conveniently made in the side of, the upper part A of the chamber through. which the observer can introduce his hand, and with a pencil mark any eggs which are of doubtful character.

a'i'is'a plat which may-be termed a curtain. This pla has an area equal to that of the tray 4, and *is slidable into the tray so that when in place it cuts off all the light from below. By gradually withdrawing ,this plate or curtain, the rows of egg-con taining openings may be exposed in lines, so that the eggs in the rearmost row may be inspected," then the next row, and so on throughout the whole list, thus insuring accuracy of the work.

The .eg are usually delivered in cases such as siown at 6.- These casescontain fillers or drawers 7, usually provided with transverse partitions so that each egg occupies a compartment by itself. For the purpose of our invention it is preferably to'i'cmove the side of the case, thus exposing the drawers or fillers 7. The superposed fillers are separated from each other in the cases 6 by horizontal pasteboard or equivalent'partitions or diaphragins.

The operation of transferring the from the case to the testing device is as follows: The sides of the tray 4 are suflieiently separated to pass outside of the filler, while the bottom of the tray, \vithtlie cui'laili plate in place, slides between the eggs and the horizontal partition. The filler with its contained eggs then rests in the tray, and may he transferred bodily into the testing apparatus, then, by withdrawing the curtain as previously explained, the light may be allowed to pass through the eggs for testing purposes. The eggs having been introduced and tested or candied. as it is technically termed, the curtain may be returned to its place andthe testing tray is removed, with the partition drawer or iiller in it, so that the filler-may be returned to its place in the case. When the tray is withdrawn, after the 'and having an open inner filler has been returned to the case, the eggs and filler are held in place by a hoeshapcd device 9 which is introduced into the tray outside the eggs. Any defective eggs,- if such occur may be removed previous to this operation, and their places filled with other good ones.

The apparatus enables-us to rapidly and accurately carry 011 the process of testing the eggs, and without handling.

This apparatus may be operated Withoutthe use of a dark room.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to'secure by Letters Patentis Y 1. The combination in an egg-testing apparatus, of upwardly and downwardly convergent separable ineinbers forming a closed case having observation and light openings at top and bottom, and aperforated testing tray slidable transversely of the apparatus end and sides to inelose the-filler sides, said tray constituting a means fo'rtransfe'rring the compartment drawers or fillers to and from Tithe apparatus,' and aeurtain plate slidable "in said-tray.

v paratus, of upwardly and downvvardly con- 2. The combination in an egg-testing apegg-contalmng the apparatusto inclose the sides and b0t7- 3 tom of the ller, said tray constituting a means for transferring the egg-containing compartment drawers or filler to and from the apparatus, a curtain-plate slidable in said tray, and a plate fitting the tray front to retain the eggs in the case when the tray is to be withdrawn.

3. A transterdc v cefor egg testing, said device includip faftra having an'open in nor end, a bot. ioin having openings to register with the ffiller compartments of the carrier, said tray'sides inelosing the filler sides and the bottom passin beneath the filler, and a curtain plate Sll( able below tl1e tray bottom to control the exposure of the eggs within the testing apparatus.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto set our hands in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. v Y It VIDLIAM LANDIS.

' OUISI COSTA. \Vitnssesg, H. CLlLArrn A. VALL'IE." 

